When I See Your Face
by writingisfreedom
Summary: What if the kiss Caspian and Susan shared at the end of the movie wasn't their first or last. This is the story of the couples past and their future.
1. Dreaming

Hello readers! I know the summary on the search page wasn't a very good one, so here's a better summary. Hope you enjoy!

It's been two years for Susan and three for Caspian since the siblings left Narnia, and neither of them are over the brief almost-romance they had during the Pevensie's short stay. In an attempt to get Susan's mind off of it, Peter suggests the siblings visit the Professor in the country, only to find out that he has another visitor - Caspian, who has managed to make his way to Earth in an agreement with Aslan. Now the siblings must travel back to Narnia under one condition. Meanwhile back in Narnia, the hastily put together country of Narnia is on the brink of falling apart.

The first time the kings and queens of old had left Narnia it had been completely on accident. The second time was just the opposite. As she approached the gate that would take her permanently back into her own world Susan felt her heart would break. This time she wasn't just leaving what she felt was her true home, but also a man who she had come to have feelings for. She shot him one last glance over her shoulder and stepped back into her own world.

It had been two years since they'd left Narnia, and none of the Pevensie children were over the place. Each had come back changed in some way. Peter fought less, acknowledging that he was not all important. Edmund possessed a wisdom and maturity beyond even what he had gained the first time. And Lucy, small Lucy, had gained the little ability to make decisions purely for herself, without requiring anyone else's opinion. But what Susan had gained wasn't necessarily a good thing. She had started out as the most cynical and doubtful of the bunch, and their departure from Narnia, and from the Prince, had left her almost broken.

It was because of that sadness that Peter approached his sister on that particular cold, November afternoon. She sat as she often did now days, contemplative, with a pile of newly cleaned clothes she was in the middle of sorting at her feet. As Peter entered she gave him a barely visible smile.

"Can I talk to you Susan?" He asked as he crossed the room towards her. These days, talking to Susan was a dangerous affair. One mention of Narnia or Caspian, or anything that could remind her of either sent her into a mood even more quiet then her normal one.

She gestured towards a relatively empty spot on the floor next to her. "Of course, is there something wrong, oh goodness" she got a rather amused look on her face, "has Edmund gone and got himself in trouble again?"

"No, no, that's not it at all Su, Ed's fine. I wanted to talk to you about an idea."

Susan's eyes searched his suspiciously, beginning to sense one of his numerous schemes to cheer her up. Not that anyone besides her three siblings could tell anything was wrong to begin with. Her parents and friends thought that her quiet edge was just a natural part of her aging. There really wasn't much to see anyways, she was taking the loss with all the air and dignity expected of a once-upon-a-time Queen. Maybe that's what worried Peter most of all; she was so stubborn, refusing to acknowledge her pain or grief, and trying so hard to be strong for everyone else.

"I was thinking that we should all go out to the country for a bit during the fall break next week. Ed needs some fresh air and I'm sure Lucy would love to be free of mom's constant badgering about acting like a lady. I already talked to the Professor, he says we're welcome to stay with him." He rushed through this, expecting her to snap at any moment. Instead she sighed.

"Well, I'm sure it would do the younger ones some good. But I swear Peter," her gaze turned sharp and left no room for argument. "If you try to treat me like a fragile little girl while we're there I'll do something drastic."

Peter merely grinned at her in response, "I would never dare to treat you like a little girl Su, I've seen you take down men twice my size."

And then he left, dodging her swat, and congratulated himself on a job well done. Maybe she wasn't happy yet, but she had agreed to go, and that was the first step.

Susan wasn't exactly sure of the exact moment she fell in love with Caspian. She supposed that one could never really know such things. Instead she looked at the path she had taken to falling in love with him as a string of moments. The first time they'd seen each other, right after his fight with Peter, late night planning sessions in Aslan's How, the time he saved her from that Telmerine soldier, and smaller, sweeter moments that were just the two of them.

Her favorite of those moments was the night before the raid on Miraz's Castle. This was the memory she held close to her in the long nights after they'd left Narnia, and it was the memory that she turned to when nothing else in her life seemed to be going right. It was also her simplest memory, the kind that you hold so closely to you because it seems to small and perfect to ever have really existed. More then anything she feared that if she forgot it, even for a second, it would fade away into time never to be seen again. And so she took time to think about it every day at least once, fearful that it would leave her alone in a world she didn't want to understand.

She'd been sitting near the stone table in Aslan's How, unable to sleep in her worry about the upcoming battle. And she was angry, horribly angry with Peter for being so god forsaken stubborn that he was actually going through with it. In her anger she was threading feathers through her arrows in a rather more viscous manner then normal.

"Did that arrow offend you in any way your majesty?" The light, accented voice floated towards her and startled her out of her thoughts.

She looked up, blushing slightly, to see him standing above her with an amused half-smile. In that moment his beauty caught her off-guard. His hair was messy, falling over his eyes and making him look slightly boyish. What attracted her most though, was his eyes. They were a dark, pure brown, and they pulled her in every time she looked at him, pulling her towards a place she would love to lose herself in. Susan was not always the young teenage girl she was right now. She remembered what it felt like to be attracted to a man, and for men to be attracted to her, but never before had she felt it so strongly. He was certainly the most handsome man she could ever remember seeing, and something in the way he looked at her made her breath catch.

Setting down the arrow she answered him, "I suppose I'm just worried."

"About the attack tomorrow?" He silently asked her permission to sit next to her, and she granted it with a slight nod of her head.

"Yes." She sighed deeply and turned to look at him fully, "Tomorrow we're going risk the lives of many brave Narnians in a foolish attack, one that isn't even very well thought out. I'm scared for them, for our people."

His gaze burned into her, studying her so intensely that she felt he could see into her soul. "And for yourself?"

"A little," she admitted, "But more for our soldiers, they shouldn't be put into this situation. All because of Peter's infuriating pride!"

And then he'd smiled at her and touched her face lightly with his finger tips, his eyes crinkling at the edges. "Queen Susan the Gentle. You were well named."

Every nerve ending in her body seemed to respond to his touch, as light as it was. He gazed into her eyes, the smile slowly turning into something more serious, more intense. She could lose herself in those dark eyes, she thought, and be perfectly content forever. But that was not meant to be, and after a second they heard someone cough slightly behind them. Trumpkin had came to tell the Prince that new supplies had come in, and the moment was over.

Two years later Susan smiled sadly at the memory, and prayed that it would never leave her. She knew that it probably wasn't healthy to cling to the past like she did, but if she let go she was afraid nothing would be left to hold her together.

King Caspian X was having his own troubles. Not only was he unable to sleep but his thoughts were plagued with her, the only girl who would never leave him. Or at least, never leave his memory, she had already physically left him. He stood, leaning out the window in his room, and imagined her bright eyes as they danced with amusement and intelligence. There was something about her that drew him towards her even now, 3 years after the Pevensie's had left. He had hoped that time would lessen the pain of losing her, but instead all it did was sharpen the wound.

He could still remember her soft smile, the intense look she would get when concentrating on anything, and the almost smirk she put on after making a particularly difficult shot with her bow. And he could still almost smell the sweet, flowery perfume that always stayed with him after standing near her. His fists clenched on the window sill. Why couldn't he forget her? They had only known each other for a couple of months, and somewhere in there Caspian had managed to fall in love. Somewhere someone was finding some sort of amusement from this.

It wasn't that he wanted to forget her, not completely. It was just that after three years it wasn't supposed to hurt like this. Like a knife stabbing him in his gut when he remembered that he would never see her again. He shouldn't come close to crying when someone mentions her name in the past tense, or when he sees a picture of her. After three years he should have more control then this.

Behind him the door to his room opened. Only three people ever entered his room unannounced, and judging by the heavy footsteps it was Trumpkin that approached him now. Sighing he turned to face the dwarf.

"Yes Trumpkin?" He struggled to keep any sort of emotion out of his voice.

"Your presence is required in the council chambers sire." The dwarf studied him carefully, "Thinking about her everyday won't do you any good." He said, softer this time.

Caspian looked away, and hoped that his councilor hadn't seen the tears at the edge of his eyes. He knew that thinking about her this often probably did more harm then good, but it was hard not to. Reminders of her were everywhere! In the twang of an arrow being released during target practice. When someone touched his arm the same way she used to, softly gripping his shoulder in reassurance. No matter what he did he couldn't escape reminders of her.

"I know my friend," He said, his voice barely above a whisper, "But how do we let go of something that is as important to us as breathing?"

Trumpkin put a hand on his arm to steady him, "We keep going, and hope sooner or later it doesn't hurt so much."

Nodding, Caspian composed himself. There was reassurance in the dwarf's words, but also a gentle reminder that Caspian wasn't just any man. He couldn't dwell on things that took his focus off of his job. The reminder strengthened the King, and with a small smile in his friend's direction he pulled himself up and suddenly looked every inch the rightful king of Narnia. But those that knew him could see that his eyes were just a little too dark, and the corners of his mouth were turned down just slightly. He was composed though, and radiated the calm aura expected of a King.

"Well, we really shouldn't keep the Council waiting should we?"

As they approached the Professor's mansion Edmund was reminded of just how much he loved the country. Here it was easy to breathe, and to think. Unlike the noisy, crowded city. But here it was also easy to remember Narnia, because this was the first place they had ever discovered it. Ed himself remembered their first visit to the magical land with more sadness then the others. It was during that first visit that he had betrayed his siblings, and aided a tyrant that killed many innocent people. Though he had spent years making up for it, even willing to fade into the background and become a wingman instead of a leader, he still felt the quilt strongly.

His thoughts shifted from that as he looked around the carriage at his siblings faces. Peter observed the country side with a slight smile, obviously remembering the good times, or congratulating himself on a job well done. Lucy was smiling with barely contained excitement, she loved the country. Susan though was harder to read. She stared out at the landscape with a closed down expression on her face, not sad, but certainly not happy either. Peter had warned Ed of her threat when she agreed to come, and that was all that kept him from putting a hand on her shoulder to comfort her.

Instead he sighed and leaned back before speaking, "It feels good to be back."

"Yes it does," Lucy agreed, grinning at him in her happiness. "This was a wonderful idea Peter!"

The oldest of the siblings smiled at her. Out of all of them Peter was probably the closest to Lucy. He protected her, and she trusted and encouraged him. Edmunds relationship with his little sister was simpler, they could play together and be perfectly happy. Even back when they lived as Kings and Queens in Narnia, the two were able to be content together. He supposed that attitude came from being the two younger siblings, the older two had a tendency to be more serious.

He barely noticed, so lost in his thoughts as he was, when they pulled up into the driveway before the manor. The sudden stop shook him, and he exited the carriage quickly. The place was just how her remembered, it's large brick walls covered in dark vines, and the large grounds so perfect they practically begged to be ran on. He shook out his shaggy brown hair and laughed before helping Susan to step down beside him.

"It hasn't seemed to change at all." On his other side Peter was staring at the large building in wonder.

Lucy laughed at him, "Don't all the buildings at Cambridge look the same as this?"

"Not really," Peter answered, "None of them are this brilliant."

Ed grinned. When Peter had started to attend Cambridge last year, Edmund had been worried that he would forget things like Narnia, that he would be so caught up in this new adult world that such childish things wouldn't seem to matter. Instead the adventure to the new school seemed to keep Peter in better tune with his siblings. He missed them when he went away, and told Ed that he thought of them and Narnia often. That reassured the younger of the brothers; maybe growing up didn't necessarily mean forgetting. He shot a look at Susan as she moved to gather their bags together. Though sometimes the ability to remember wasn't a good thing.

"Oh Ed, don't you think this is absolutely wonderful!" Lucy exclaimed beside him as she pulled on his sleeve. "Do hurry up so we can go see the professor!"

Moving to grab his stuff Ed laughed. "A bit impatient there Lu?"

"That's what happens when you eat too much sugar on the train." Peter grinned at his little sister. "You get to be annoying."

Lucy stuck her tongue out at Peter. She may be 14, but she would always be the youngest, and carry those mannerisms. The four siblings started to move towards the house. Lucy practically jogging in the front of the group, closely followed by a laughing Peter, and Ed and Susan trailing behind.

Ed turned to observe his older sister. "Are you happy to be back Su?"

"Of course I am," Susan didn't even turn to look at him as she answered, instead keeping her gaze firmly on the building in front of them, "I'm just tired from our trip, that's all."

Her tone didn't fool Ed, she may be tired, but there was more to it then that. What that more was he could guess. The subject was tall, dark haired, and had a funny accent. As much as Edmund personally liked the current King of Narnia, he didn't appreciate the hold the man had on his sister. For the millionth time he wondered what had happened between the two to inspire the connection, and the sudden kiss they shared at the end of the siblings adventure. He didn't particularly like the idea of any guy kissing his sister, especially when it was the cause of such pain on her part.

"Are you happy to be back Ed?" Susan was obviously eager to turn the conversation's focus away from her. Reluctantly Edmund obliged.

"Yes, incredibly so. There's something terribly nice about the country. It's quieter, and there's more freedom." The noise of the city didn't bother him all that much, it was just nice to get away from it.

Susan looked a little bit sad when she answered, "There are certainly less distractions."

Before Ed had time to contemplate that remark Peter called to them from up ahead. "Will you two hurry up! We've found the Professor!"

They sped up slightly and saw Lucy hugging the elderly professor on the front steps. The connection they'd formed with him from being the only people to go to Narnia was a special one. This mansion was the only place where they didn't have to hide away their secret lives, instead they could embrace them and discuss the past as much as they wanted. Perhaps that's why Susan seemed so reluctant to finish her walk up the large driveway and greet their host. Here she couldn't hide behind the excuse that it wasn't sensible to talk about it.

As they approached the other three the professor looked up to smile at Susan and Edmund. He hadn't changed much from their last visit; he still looked as if he'd been up all night working, and his glasses still slid slightly down his nose. But he also had the same kind smile and intelligent glint in his eyes. It was that glint with which he turned to inspect Susan.

"I dare say I have a surprise that will be of interest to you in particular my dear."

Susan looked up at him suspiciously. "Me sir? Why me?"

"Well you see, I doubt any of your siblings are the young women my current house guest keeps asking after."

Now it was Peter's turn to look surprised. "Your current house guest sir? Is it someone we know?"

The professor laughed, "I certainly hope so, or else I'm more easily tricked then I like to believe. Would you like to meet him?"

The four siblings nodded apprehensively, and Professor Kirke turned back into the house and opened the door, speaking quietly to whoever was inside. Nodding reassuringly, he opened the door wider, reveling someone two of them never thought they'd see again.

King Caspian X stood in the doorway looking slightly uncomfortable in his modern day English attire of a collared shirt and trousers. His face though was lit with excitement and nervousness as he faced the four former kings and queens of Narnia. To Ed he looked only a few years older, which was strange considering the time gap between the two worlds. Caspian opened his mouth to greet them, his eyes trained on Susan, but before any words came out something even more unexpected happened.

Susan turned and ran away.


	2. Running

Chapter 2 - Running

Hey guys!! This is Chapter 2 of my story, and Caspian and Susan are in for more adventures in the upcoming pages. Why is Susan running? What will the others do about it? And how in the world did Caspian manage to get there to begin with? All that and more answered in this next chapter!

Before she even quite realized what she was doing Susan found herself running faster then she could ever remember. She was running away from the feelings she had when she saw him standing in the doorway, running from the way he smiled at her. Running from the hope that his sight had instilled in her. Never again would she let herself dare to hope the way she did before they left Narnia two years ago. Her heart couldn't take it again.

So she ran up the drive, not knowing where she was heading. Just anywhere but there. In the corner of her mind she knew that running would do her no good, and that she was probably better off just facing the situation head on, but that sensible side was losing the battle against the instinct to avoid the problem all together. So she continued running. Away from all the possibilities, away from Peter and Edmund, and Lucy, and most of all Caspian who she could hear call her name behind her. She ran until she reached the end of the Professor's drive, and then she turned the corner and kept running until she was out of breath.

At some point she stopped, feeling exhausted, and collapsed on the ground. Why was any of this happening now? What had she done to deserve another chance to get her heart broken? If she got close to him and he left again she wasn't sure she'd be able to function. Yet she couldn't turn off the tiny little part of her that was jumping up and down like Christmas had come early at the idea of seeing Caspian again. Of hearing his voice. Of kissing him…

Maybe she was going insane.

"Susan." She kept her gaze on the ground as a figure approached her. She knew without looking up or really hearing the voice who it was, and she tried to avoid the questions she knew would be in his eyes as long as possible. But he wouldn't let her, instead he crouched down beside her and lifted her hair gently out of her face.

"Are you okay Susan?" Finally daring to look at him she felt her breath catch. He only looked a few years older then when they'd last seen him, and the years had done him good. His face was slightly more mature, and a little bit of stubble was forming on his chin. But as before it was his eyes that captured her. They held wisdom and maturity unheard of for such a young man, ruling Narnia had obviously taught him a lot. She moved her gaze to study the rest of him, instead of answering him straight away. That scar there, on his arm, had that been there before? And his hair was shorter then before, cut to stay out of his face. He was breathtaking, and that scared her.

"Are you alright Queen Susan?" He asked again, searching her face for an answer.

Desperately she tried to find her voice. "I'm fine."

"You do not look fine."

"That's one way to flatter a girl." The joke tore from her unbidden, but it made her feel better. If she could joke then, just maybe, she would be okay.

His face froze, and he seemed to take her comment seriously. "I only meant that-"

"I know," She said smiling at him, "I was joking."

Her mind hadn't quite caught up with what was going on yet, but the urge to run away was calming down. Now she instead was studying the face of a man she never thought she'd see again. She hadn't gone a day without thinking about him in two years, and now he was crouching before her with that adorable worried look on his face. She had to get back to her siblings so they could distract her from the onslaught of being with him alone. Still a little shaky she stood up and gestured towards the house.

"We should head back, the other's will be worried."

His expression turned to confusion at her sudden change in mannerism, but always the perfect gentleman he merely nodded and followed her. The walk back was every bit as uncomfortable as the few second long conversation they had. Susan refused to look at the Narnian King, and he couldn't stop looking at her. Maybe he hadn't forgotten about her completely. She wondered how long it had been for him since they last saw each other, but didn't dare to speak. Part of her thought this was all a dream, and that soon she would wake up. She pinched herself to test the theory.

"Ow." So not dreaming then.

"Are hurt Queen Susan?" Caspian asked concerned.

Susan shook her head, still unable to speak. After what seemed like years they reached the top of the Professor's drive and saw Lucy sitting on the stairs waiting for them. When the younger girl spotted the two shapes heading towards her she stood up and ran over to them.

"Oh you're back, the other's will be relieved. Now where in the world did you run off to Susan?" Her expression changed to one of disapproval, that reminded Susan very much of their mother. "You had us all quite worried. You're lucky Caspian ran after you, or Peter would and he was set to give you quite a talking to."

In her head Susan was laughing. Lucky that Caspian came after her? At the moment she would have much preferred that her elder brother had found her, lectures and all. She didn't say anything to Lucy though, instead choosing to continue walking towards the door. Lucy's attention had shifted to Caspian anyways.

"Are you going to tell us how you got here? And how long has it been in Narnia? Is my DLF alright? Have you seen Aslan lately? Though I suppose you must have if you're here…oh has Narnia changed much?" The girl clung on Caspian's arm while she threw the questions at him, and the look on Caspian's face as he struggled to answer her was amusing. When one has no younger sisters it's terribly difficult to keep up with somebody else's.

In the house Peter, Edmund, and the Professor were sitting in the drawing room talking quietly. When the other three came in they all looked up, and Peter rushed over to Susan. She couldn't tell whether he was angry or just disappointed. Looking back at him she silently begged him to understand. His face softened and he nodded.

"You're okay then Su?" Ed said from the couch. "It's quite rude running away like that."

Rolling her eyes she sat down on the nearest couch. Caspian sat next to her, and answered Edmund. "It wasn't rude, Susan just needed a moment to herself. She is okay now."

After everyone had settled down and stopped talking the Professor turned to Caspian. "Perhaps now is a good time to explain how and why you are here."

"Yes, of course." Caspian turned to acknowledge the rest of the room. "I am here as a messenger from Aslan. He says that sometimes, situations arise that even he cannot forsee. He wants you to return with me to Narnia."

"To Narnia! That's brilliant!" Ed exclaimed, jumping up. Lucy though, was more observant.

"Situations even Aslan can't foresee." She looked troubled. "What's going on in Narnia Caspian?"

The King looked troubled, and Susan was distracted by curiosity from her need to avoid looking at him. Whatever was going on back there, it couldn't be good. Not if Aslan sent Caspian to come get them, and especially not if he was thinking about sending Peter and Susan back as well. If he was thinking about that. Maybe this was just a call for Edmund and Lucy.

"It has been three years in Narnia since you left, and not all of my citizens are happy with the way things are. Some feel that there is too much bad blood between Narnia and Telmarine for the two nations ever to coincide. Fighting has begun in remote locations, and we're afraid it may start in more heavily populated locations."

Susan was reminded of the angry Telmarines right after the final battle, and even of the attitudes of some of the Narnians who still resented the Telmarines for taking their land. None of them had thought the transition would be easy, but fighting was a bit much. But why would Aslan want the four, or two she thought sadly, of them to go back because of something like that?

Caspian continued his explanation. "There are riots starting, and even rumors of some of the rebels talking to Archeland. Things are getting to be really bad. Aslan says that the worst is yet to come, and so he wants you to return."

"All of us." Peter looked almost hopeful, "Or just Ed and Lucy?"

"All of you." The four siblings shot excited looks at each other, and Susan felt as if she'd lost her breath. All of them. It was like getting a second life, they never thought they'd be able to go to Narnia again. To see the fields and Cair Paravel, though it might still be a ruin. Her face lit up in a wide smile.

Caspian though still looked serious. "There is one condition."

Of course, Susan thought, nothing could be that easy. "What is it?"

"Aslan says that nothing happens the same way twice." They all smiled, even the professor, at this familiar phrase. "If you are to return, you will become the same age you were when you left Narnia the first time."

They were all silent, and Susan felt her heart speed up. The same age they were the first time? That would make her, she counted quickly, thirty years old. That was quite a jump from her current age of 19. How old was Caspian? He was 19 when they'd first been there, and if three years had passed that would make him 22. She would be eight years older then him. She stopped that path of thought quickly. It wouldn't be smart to let her heart get involved again anyways.

"That's bloody brilliant!" They all turned to Ed, who's face was lit up triumphantly. "We'd all be adults again, and wouldn't have to be treated like silly kids! And Pete, do you remember how much stronger we were back then?"

"And I would be tall enough to fit into my dresses again." Lucy said wistfully, "If they're still there."

A grin was beginning to form on Peter's face as well. "There were definite advantages to being older. Did he say how long we would stay though Caspian?"

This is what Susan had been waiting to hear, and she was hoping the answer wouldn't be painful. "He said that he cannot say exactly, because he doesn't know how old each of you will be when you die."

"So forever then." Edmund looked positively blissful. "What are we waiting for?"

The professor spoke up from where he sat, quietly observing the children. "What do you think Susan?"

As she answered Susan could feel Caspian looking at her intensely. He was obviously worried about what she would say. Did he think that she didn't want to come back with him? That was partly true of course, but not because of him. If anything she wanted to go with him too much, and that is what held her back. "It sounds…" she paused, unsure of exactly what she felt, "Like we're needed. If Aslan sent the King to call us back that is."

She still couldn't say his name.

"Well then Caspian, how do we go about getting back?" Edmund stood up and looked around, as if expecting to see a door.

Caspian's eyes still had not left Susan's face, and she got the feeling that if she looked up he would have a million questions in them. Questions she couldn't, or maybe wouldn't, answer. He seemed reluctant as he tore his gaze away from her and answered Edmund. "All you have to do is follow me."

They all stood up, Susan wondering the entire time where this would lead them, and what they would find at the end.

Hope you guys liked that chapter! It was mostly just setting up the plot. So yes, for the rest of the story the four Pevensie kids will be adults. More details on that in the next chapter. Please review and tell me what you think!!


	3. Changing

Hey again! Sorry this chapter took so long to get out, it's been pretty crazy around here. Thank you to all who have reviewed or added this story to their story alert list. Without further ado, here's the story!

All that Caspian felt as he led the four siblings and the professor towards the wardrobe, was excitement. Not only was he about to gain the four people who could help prevent this civil war, but he was also gaining four friends. He'd missed the advice Peter could give him, Edmund's humor in dark situations, and the wisdom Lucy held in her tiny body. And of course he missed Susan, her most of all. It was overwhelming to think that he would be getting a second chance with her. Even if she would be older then him. He wondered how much older she would be. The stories said that the monarchs had left when they were still fairly young, so they couldn't be that much older. What would be interesting was if Lucy ended up older then him, he saw her almost as a younger sister.

Behind him Edmund and Lucy chattered excitedly about what it would be like to be grown ups again. Peter walked beside them, listening to their conversation with a slight smile on his face. In the back, Susan and the Professor walked side by side, both silent, though the professor had an interesting spark in his eyes. It was strange to see them in this world, even if all he'd seen of them was inside this house. Here they weren't dressed in armor or royal clothes. Susan and Lucy were even wearing pants! They seemed almost normal here, as if this world didn't acknowledge them as great rulers, but merely as children.

Lucy realized first where they were going. "Oh, do tell me you entered through the wardrobe! That would bring back such terribly found memories!"

"Yes, your young friend did enter through the wardrobe," the Professor was chuckling quietly as he spoke, "But in a louder manner then you lot did. Almost killed Mrs. McCreedy. I gave her the rest of the week off."

Caspian winced when he remembered his entrance into the world three days prior. When Aslan told him he was coming here to fetch the Queens and Kings he expected to pass through a gate like the one in the tree, instead he walked through a forest of rather thick coats and ended up falling on his face trying to fight them off. The Professor had found him yelling at one of the coats that he thought had someone in it.

"Here we are."

They stopped and stood in front of the magnificent wardrobe. To Caspian the thing was nothing but a nuisance and a way to get into this world, but by the looks on the Pevensie's faces it was much more then that. He studied Susan's face. Her eyes were wide and distant, as if she was looking back into an event that was far in the past. Instead of the calm, hard to read mask she'd been showing earlier, her face was soft with the memory. She was absolutely beautiful like this, when she just showed what Caspian believed to be her truest self, the real reason she'd been called Queen Susan the Gentle.

"Are we going to go in then?" Ed asked, looking around at all of them. "Or are we just going to stand here and stare at it all day?"

Peter laughed and clapped his younger brother on the back. "We'll go in when we're all ready to go in."

After a second Lucy and Susan both nodded that they were ready to step into the wardrobe. Caspian felt his heart speed up. In a few moments he was going to meet the Kings and Queens as they'd been before. The siblings each hugged the Professor, and he stopped them quickly to give them a warning.

"You won't be coming back here in this lifetime my children, but never forget where you came from. That's part of what makes you so wise."

Susan was the last to hug him, and then she turned towards the wardrobe. "Lady's first then?"

"Of course." Peter gave her a little bow, and gestured for her to led them into the passage way.

Then she opened the door and stepped in, and Caspian's heart sped up. She looked beautiful with her chin raised high in pride, and her hair falling over her eyes when she took a step. Mentally he took a picture, to remember Susan as she looked when he fell in love with her. When he saw her again she would be much different.

As Susan walked through the coats in the wardrobe and towards Narnia, her thoughts ran wild. In a few minutes she would be 11 years older then she was right now. She would be a completely different person. Unbidden her thoughts turned to Caspian. Would he still like her when she was older then him? She remembered that she was considered extremely attractive and had no trouble finding suitors back when she was thirty, but she didn't want those suitors.

She wanted Caspian.

That thought winded her, and she almost turned and ran straight back to England. She wanted Caspian. All of the running and hiding would never get rid of that fact. Now that she wasn't sure if he'd like the new her, she realized how much she wanted him to. She might get hurt again like last time, but at least she would have the memories. Slow down, she thought, let's take this slowly. No need to rush into anything.

She felt her hair grow out slightly as she walked, and her body age to how it was all those years ago, taking on a more womanly shape. As her mind filled with thoughts of Caspian and questions her body was turning back into the age she still felt. When she reached the end of the coats she pushed out and saw the light from the lamp post a in the distance. Behind her she heard the others exit the woods as well.

Lucy was the first to come out behind her, and they ran to each other laughing. Once again Lucy was her 25 year old self, and she looked wonderful. He hair was longer, and her face more defined. She was still a thin wisp of a creature, but her size didn't make her look defenseless, just graceful. Tears were in her eyes as she hugged her older sister.

"Oh Susan you look beautiful!"

"You too, and your dresses will all fit wonderfully now." Susan replied, smiling. She turned to look at her brothers. "Ed and Peter don't you two look mature and handsome!"

Both of the boys hair was slightly longer, and Peter had a bit of a beard. They both had gotten more handsome with age, Peter staying thin and getting taller, while Ed filled out a bit. Both were grinning at each other and clasped hands. It was exciting to look the age they felt again.

Her happiness though, was halted when Caspian came into the view. He smiled shortly at Ed and Peter, clasping hands briefly with both of them, and bowed to Lucy. Then his eyes fell on Susan, and he couldn't look away. His eyes swept her, slowly taking in her face, hair, and the changes in her body until they came back up and caught her eyes again. His gaze was intense, making her wish she could look away. He obviously wasn't repulsed by her, but did he still have feelings for her? The look in his eyes was different then what other men usually directed at her, there was none of the pure lust, but emotion that Susan couldn't even define.

He approached and bowed slightly to her, "Queen Susan you look," he swallowed quickly, "amazing."

She curtsied at him in response, not trusting her own voice when we stared at her like that. A moment stretched into several as they stared at each other, both wondering what the other was thinking. Susan was terribly nervous, her heart beating insanely fast, and her palms starting to sweat. She may be older again, but that didn't stop her from feeling in that moment like a teenage girl.

Peter walked up to them, obviously aware of the tension and wanting to stop it. "We're quite a distance away from your Castle Caspian, we should get a move on right away."

"Of course." Caspian answered, his eyes still not leaving Susan's, "There should be horses and several friends very close."

"Which friends would those be?" Edmund asked.

"Some who have missed your noble company sires!" They all looked up the path to see the small form of Reepicheep coming towards them. He bowed deeply and theatrically when he reached them. "As ever I am at your service."

Behind him was they shy dwarf, Trumpkin. When Lucy saw him she ran up and wrapped him in a hug. The others hid their laughter at the mixed expression of joy and embarrassment on Trumpkin's face.

"Oh my DLF, I missed you terribly!" Lucy exclaimed.

"I missed you too," the dwarf said gruffly, "you've grown quite a bit."

Susan shot a look at Caspian, and he nodded back. So the others knew about Aslan's deal. Good, that saved time. From the same direction Reepicheep and Trumpkin had came, Glenstrom and several other centaurs approached. She'd missed this, for some reason the magical creatures here seemed more normal then anything back in England. All around her she could feel the whisper that always seemed to be in the air in Narnia. They were home. Beside her Ed wrapped an arm around her shoulder and leaned over.

"I can feel it to," he whispered into her ear, "We're home."

It took the company a several hours to reach a permanent camp some of the Narnians had set up. The siblings older bodies made the journey easier, and they found that it was quite a bit of fun to test out the changes. Edmund was delighted when he could reach up and grab a tree branch they passed easily, and Peter tried out his hand in running, happily noticing that he was quite a bit faster. Susan though, talked seriously with Trumpkin about the state of the Kingdom, both to gain more knowledge of the situation that had caused their return, and to keep her mind off of the handsome King who hardly strayed from her side the entire journey.

"It's been getting worse and worse since several dwarf tribes in the north attacked a Telmarine village in the mountains. Some of the dwarfs, you see, believe that they should automatically get the land of their ancestors back, even if that means uprooting the people currently living there."

"And it does not help," Caspian interjected, "That most of the Telmarine people still consider the old Narnians to be beneath them. We have tried to promote the fact that everyone is equal in the cities, but the idea has not made it through the countryside."

This worried Susan. Three years was still within the period that a newly put together country would be chaotic, but the increase in violence instead of decrease was foreboding of a disturbing trend. They needed to find a way to make the citizens see that they needed to work together instead of against each other. Susan thought back to the Narnia of 1300 years ago, when the siblings had worked to bring peace between the Narnians that worked for the White Witch and those who had been oppressed by her. This would be more difficult even then that. The Narnians and Telmarines had hundreds of years of prejudice and bloody history to overcome.

"The challenge right now is to show the people that violence between the groups will not be tolerated, while avoiding turning into a reign of fear like Miraz had." Trumpkin was obviously a very wise advisor, one that Caspian was lucky to have. He knew the feelings of the old Narnians, but respected Caspian enough to respect the Telmarines. She only hoped more could follow his example.

They arrived at the camp and ended their discussion for now. She would have to observe the problem first hand in order to know how to fix it. The camp was a small one, with a permanent structure built as a cover in the middle of a clearing, just enough room for about 20 Narnians. The men went to help set everything up, and Susan walked over to Lucy.

"I've been talking to Reepicheep," Lucy said, tears in her eyes, "It's getting to be quite a mess here Su. I don't know if we can fix it."

"It won't be easy, but we can do our best." Susan put her arm around her little sister, who wasn't so little anymore.

"Do you think being older will help?"

Susan thought about that for a second. "It may not make a difference with the old Narnians, but the Telmarines will certainly respect adults more then they would respect children. That will help us build bridges."

"I suppose you're right." The younger Queen looked around, "I'm just happy to be back. And with you and Peter!"

"I know, this all seems surreal. Like any second we're going to wake up and be back in England."

"But you are happy to be here Su?" Lucy asked, posing the same question she did last time they were here.

"More then you know."

Peter walked up to the pair of them with a cocky grin on his face. That was one thing Susan had forgotten, Peter only got more arrogant with age. Though he was more mature about how he handled it. Hopefully he would be more humble this time, after everything they'd gone through last time they were back.

"We're done setting up." He told his sisters. "How would you like some dinner? Ed and Reepicheep are starting some."

They walked over to the rest of the group and sat down to enjoy a friendly dinner. Susan looked around at the gathering and smiled. After eating they sat around and exchanged stories, Caspian and Reepicheep of the Kingdom since the Kings and Queens had left, and Peter, Ed, and Lucy about the Narnia of old. It had been a long time since the siblings had been anywhere that felt this comfortable. After a couple of hours the group decided to retire. Susan volunteered to take the cooking utensils to the nearby river and clean them. As she left she noticed Caspian excuse himself to join her.

He approached her when she reached the edge of the river, leaning down to help her wash the dishes in the cool water. Out of the corner of her eye she saw his hair fall over his eyes in a decidedly attractive way as he dipped a bowl in the water. They worked in silence, the only sound from the gentle clinking of metal hitting metal when they stacked the clean dishes. Susan wondered what he was thinking. Her own brain was busy noticing every time he did something that made him look even more handsome. He looked striking in this lighting, with the gentle moonlight resting on his face and accenting his features. His dark eyes were softened, making him look younger then his 22 years.

When they finished with all the dishes Susan rose to head back to the camp, only to be stopped by Caspian's hand on her arm. She paused, but didn't turn around, afraid that if she did she wouldn't be able to resist the urge to kiss him. She felt him stand up behind her.

"I'm glad you are back." His voice floated between them, begging her for an answer.

"Me too."

His arms moved to turn her around, but she kept her head down so she wouldn't see the intense look she knew was in his eyes. The effort was futile though, he took her chin in one hand and tilted her face up so that he could see it. His eyes were as intense as she knew they would be, and she felt herself drowning in them. All the feelings she tried so hard in the last two years to repress rose up in her, and she felt tears start to build in the corners of her eyes.

"You look beautiful tonight, my Queen." The softness in his voice broke her, and before she could think about the consequences she launched herself into his arms.

If he was surprised he didn't show it, instead wrapping his arms around her waist to draw her more tightly against him. Her head rested against his chest, which was as hard and warm as she remembered it. He rested his head on top of hers, and they stayed there, listening to each other's breathing. A million questions bubbled inside of Susan, each speaking of her fears and doubts, wanting him to replace them with hope.

"Does the fact," She cleared her throat and tried again, "Does the fact that I'm older now bother you?"

He laughed gently, "Not at all my Queen. Eight years hardly makes a difference."

"Really now?" She asked curiously, "And why not."

"You're already 1300 years older then me."

At that Susan laughed too, sliding her arms up to Caspian's neck so she could lean back and see his face. There were a million reasons why she should stop this right now. Her heart hadn't finished repairing from the last time they got involved, and she never knew when Aslan would make her leave again.

As if hearing her thoughts Caspian whispered. "You're not leaving this time, Aslan said you're here for good."

She looked into his eyes, at the complete confidence that was there, mixing with an emotion she couldn't identify, and felt something in her click. When they'd came here the first time she'd never meant to fall in love with the handsome Prince, but she had. Now there was no reason not to let him back into her heart. The look in his eyes told her that he might love her back.

"Caspian," she started and faltered, "Do remember last time we were here, when I told you I was falling in love with you?"

The King grinned, "Of course."

Susan stood up and her toes so that her head was even with his, and leaned her forehead against him. "That changed,"

His face fell, and he started to move away from her and compose himself.

She held onto him, laughing gently, "No Caspian, I mean now I'm in love with you. Two years without you made me realize that I can't live."

He didn't give her a chance to finish that sentence, instead pressing his lips against hers in a passionate kiss. After only a moment she responded, moving her mouth against his, willing the kiss to say everything she felt in her heart. He responded the same way, the urgency in his lips telling her that he loved her too. The kiss lasted until both of them ran out of breath, and then they pulled back only slightly, gasping for air and grinning like little children.

"Does that mean you love me to?" Susan joked before Caspian's lips crashed down on hers again.

This time Caspian ran his tongue over her lower lip, silently asking for permission to deepen the kiss. Susan parted her lips, moaning when she felt his tongue begin to explore her mouth. Her arms went higher, until her hands were tangled in his hair. It had been a long time since they'd kissed like this, but their bodies remembered, letting them return to each other as if they'd never been apart. Caspian gently pushed Susan back until she was against a nearby tree, the hard surface giving him better access.

Behind him they heard a loud cough, and broke apart quickly. Edmund stood a few feet back, observing them with an amused expression. "I suppose that means you two are together now."

He bent down to pick up the stack of cooking utensils, grinning widely. "I'll take these back, but hurry up, the other's are wondering where you are. I'll tell them you're busy engaging in some long awaited pleasantries."

Susan looked mortified, and Caspian managed a sheepish grin. "Please do not tell them that, we'll be there shortly."

After the younger boy left Susan walked back into Caspian's arms and leaned her head against his chest, laughing slightly. "I suppose if anyone was to find us, Ed is probably the best choice. He'll just find it funny."

Caspian laughed as well, before pulling back and looking at her seriously. "We are not going to hide this are we? Will you let me court you publicly?"

The word court was a strange one, and to Susan it had many implications that the young King may not have realized. Back in old Narnia Susan had been courted many times, never by anyone she actually liked. But she wanted to be able to touch him when other people were around. She wanted to be in his arms regardless of who was around. So she nodded.

"If you're sure you don't mind an older woman."

The King grinned and offered her his arm, "I've always had a thing for older women."

Yay! That's chapter three, and our favorite couple is back together. What will the future have in store for them? And how will they save Narnia from a civil war? Find out over the next few chapters! Please, if you have any constructive criticism, review.


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